MONDAY, MAY 6, 1035.
PAGE TWO
PLATTSMOUTH SEJII - WEEKLY JOURNAL
The Plattsmouth Journa
PUBLISHED SEMI-WEEKLY AT
Entered at Postofflce, Plattsmouth,
MRS. R. A. BATES, Publisher
SUBSCRIPTION PEICE $2.00 A YEAE IN FIEST POSTAL ZONE
Subscribers living In Second Postal Zone. $2.50 per year. Beyond
600 miles, $3.00 per year. Rate to Canada and foreign countries,
13.50 per year. All subscriptions are payable strictly in advance.
Alvo Mews
Joseph Ramelas wa3 assisting with
the work of rebuilding the house of
1. J. Linch during the past week.
Frank Stander, of Omaha, who has
a farm not far from Alvo, was having
his portion of last year's wheat deliv
ered to the Simon Rehmeier elevator,
side in it.
Mrs. Roy Stewart and daughter,
I.Ii33 Josephine," were in Elmwood last
Wednesday afternoon, where they
were visiting with friends for a short
time.
Superintendent L. M. Hauptman
was looking after some business mat
ters in Lincoln Wednesday afternoon,
following the closing of school, and
was accompanied by Mrs. Hauptman.
John Weichel, who has been at the
hospital in Lincoln for the past two
weeks, where he underwent an opera
tion on one of his knees, has been
progressing very nicely and was able
to return home during the past week.
Donald Davis has accepted work on
the O street paving job that is requir
ing a large number of men just now.
He is employed as night watchman,
looking after the trucks and other
machinery which is used on the work
there.
Robert Coster has been kept pretty
Vimc-c- r.f lnt with h5 work at the ele-
. , . .
vator. as Simon Rehmeier has been
very busy with the receiving and dis
tributing of hay and grain which he
has shipped in for the farmers of this
community.
Charles M. Jordan, who resides
northeast of town, was shelling and
delivering corn to the elevator last
week, which in turn is being sold to
the farmers of this vicinity who are
in need cf grain to get them through
the heavy spring work.
The Ladies Aid of the Methodist
church were having a session at the
church basement last Wednesday af
ternoon, with a splendid program and
refreshments. Mesdames L. D. Mul
len, Frank Taylor and S. C. Hardnock
comprised the committee in charge.
Grandfather G. Rehmeier, who re
bides at the ,home cf his daughter,
Mrs. Frank Taylor, south of town,
ha3 not been feeling well for some
time and has been confined to the
home, but with the warm days of the
pest week has been able to get out
and came to town for a visit with his
ir.any friends, spending a portion of
the time at the elevator.
Uncle I. J. Linch who recently ac
quired a. piece of property directly
jmtos:; the street from where he re
sides, is putting it in good shape for
an investment property. Included in
the work which he is doing is the
r-'ficinK r.f a concrete foundation under
the building and the addition of an
other room, which will make it a very
convenient home for whoever may re
ticle in it.
Engages in Easiness
Srcn Petersen, who n?.a hcen
working whenever he has an oppor
tunity, has just recently taken over
the filling station of James Herniance
and is looking after the needs of the
car owners.
Ccurxty W. C. T. U. Convention
With representatives from all over
the county present, the ladies of the
Women's Christian Temperance Union
of Alvo entertained the county con
vention of the 'order on Tuesday of
last week. The members of the Union
feel there is need at this time of active
Si o
o F" H -
win M$m
with
8 Prudential
8
ence Company
X 0 We can loan y
X money at as goo
and terms as can
THE
Piker Agsneie
O 115 South Cth Street
b MoKr Ciiv. Nrr
IS33UV- 8
ou more x
d a rate Jf
be had! K
S
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA
Neb., as second-class mall matter
work on behalf of the organization
and the cause it seeks to uphold.
A most pleasant meeting was bad
and the visiters were loud in their
prairc of Alvo as a host city.
Making Concrete Blocks
Jchn Banning ha3 been putting in
a portion of his time of late in the
manufacture of concrete blocks, hav
ing an order for a goodly number of
them and also desiring to accumulate
a reserve supply at the lumber yard.
Returned to Hospital.
Dalla3 Feifer, who was at the hos
pital in Lincoln, where he was being
treated for an affection of his hip,
with its improvement, was able to re
turn home, but after a time it was de
cided that it would be better to go
back to the hospital for further treat
ment, which he did, returning to Lin
coln last week.
Formerly Resided Near Here
Mrs. Emma Peltz, of Omaha, who
was so seriously injured in the auto
wreck on the highway just north of
Plattsmouth early Sunday morning,
and who died later that day in an
Omaha hospital, wa3 formerly Miss
Emma Sutton, a niece cf Miss Delia
Sutton of Alvo and a daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Charles Sutton. The funeral
was held at Omaha last Wednesday
afternoon. The deceased lady leaves
three small children
Visiting at Minneapolis
Mrs. Helen Davis, agent of the Rock
Island railroad, is at this time visit
ing at Minneapolis, where she was
called on account of the severe ill
ness of her granddaughter, Miss Helen
Davis.
Moves to Old 2Iullen Ranch
Mr: and Mrs.' Joseph Parsell, the
former the mail messenger between
the pest office and the Rock Island
station, having disposed of their land
here recently, purchased an eighty
acre tract of land west of Elmwood
that has a historical background, be
ing what was known in early days as
the Mullen ranch, which was a popu
lar stopping place for travelers in
these parts sixty to eighty years ago.
At this ranch home many an emigrant
train put up over night as they were
on their way west, when the country
was new. Mr. and Mrs. Parsell have
moved to the place and will make
their hoine there.
Until such time as another mail
messenger shall be appointed, Hal
Parsell will carry the mail. There are
ten applicants for the job and all are
anxiously awaiting to see which one
shall be assigned the position.
ASKS CHILD THEFT CHARGE
Omaha. C. J. Southard, attorney
for Mrs. Mariel Masters, has filed a
request that child stealing charges
be instituted against Jose Masters,
son of the principal of Central high
school here, who has been missing
with his two year old daughter,
Jacqueline Jill, since March 10. The
Masters were divorced, the child be
ing awarded to Maricl.
Mrs. J. G. Masters, revealed ehe
had a letter from her son, advising
the child was in Smethport or East
Smethport, Pa. A Mrs. Wore, the
child's paternal great grandmother.
i3 said to reside in Smethport. Dis
trict Judge Rhoades issued an appeal
for Masters to return tic baby to
Omaha.
PLANT 93.CC0 TREES
Columbus, Neh. The 1S33 . tree
planting program in Platte and Col -
fax counties reached its climax with j
the nlantincr of 98. 00ft troon on ihir. I
ty-one farms. Guy Robertson, proj
ect superintendent, has announced.
Planting was conducted by soil ero -
sion prevention crews of the veterans
camp near Columbus. Most cf the
iree3 were seeunngs, part. of which
were secured thru the Clarl:e-Mc-
Nary act.
PROHIBIT SLUSH FUND
Washington. Contrl'julicns to of
fice seekers or political organizations
by perse ns connected with projects
under the new works program would
be prohibited unde'a bill introduced
by Seratcrs Hatch (d., N. M.) and
Dyrd (d., Va.)
Story of Fifty
Years as District
Court Reporter
State Journal Has Splendid Account!
r Tif jrr, . tt.-t, wulPr I
a Former Resident Here.
The following very Interesting ac
count of the fifty years service as dis
trict court reporter by Myron Wheel
er appeared in the Sunday Lincoln
Journal-Star and which is reprinted,
as the Wheeler family have many old
friends here:
Myron E. Wheeler, dean of Amer
ican court reporters, is not the gay
blade he once was. But he is the
raconteur supreme. As he sits in an
easy chair at his comfortable home
at 3352 Woodshire Parkway and
talks, the saga of Nebraska moves
slowly past. On May 10 he will re
sign as court reporter for Judge Fred
erick Shepherd of the Lancaster
county District court and thus write
finis to a career which he began
fifty-two years ago.
He has seen all of Nebraska, has
Myron Wheeler, and a good portion
of the world too. But it is the courts
which have been his life and when
be leaves them let's let him say it,
"Well, there just isn't much more."
Native Nebraskan.
Born about 70 years ago on the
site of the present Cass county court
house at Plattsmouth, Myron Wheel-
!cr can tell you a little bit about near
ly anything which has happened
since. Droll, whimsical and charm-
insrlv entertaining, his eyes sparkle
gaily as he recounts happenings of I
the past.
There were his early days in Platts-
mouth when his father, Major D. H.
Wheeler, one of the first
Indian
aerents in Nebraska, used to be gone j
on long trips with the wagon trains the Otoe county jail at Nebraska
and his mother carried a revolver in J City the same ancient jail, inci
her apron pocket, "just in case." At dentally, which Ed Beeson of Ne
first there wasn't a foot of railroad braska City News-Press has written
in Nebraska but in those days they j so enchantingly if, albeit, in a
went down to the river to meet the-slightly uncomplimentary fashion,
boats. There would be gay parties j About the same time that Bo
and Myron and the other children 1 hanan was removed to Nebraska City,
would be parked in seme corner or,j Wheeler recalls that he and Judge
other while their folks and others ; Chapman went there for the trial of
made merry. The next day the towns-! two other sensational cases. One in
folk would go down to bid their trav- volved a man named Hoffman, who
eling friends on the steamer adieu, i wrecked a train at Dunbar. An en
The boat would back away fromjgineer died from injuries incurred
short with more than a few toots, i when the throttle was driven through
there would be much waving of hats his chest. Hoffman was found guilty
and handkerchiefs, and then Myron j and was sentenced to bo hung. He
chuckles the old stern wheeler j was placed in jail with Bohanan.
would like as not get stuck on a j Then, at almost the same time, Lee
sandbar and be there for a week. j Shellenberger killed his two children
The Platte Valley House just across i fcr their insurance money. He was
the street from the Wheeler home j found guilty, sentenced to death on
was one of the finer hostelries be-j the gallows, and was also placed in
tween Chicago and Denver in the the Nebraska City jail.
early , cays. Ana irom.;tiie :. arum-,
raers," the Victorian edition of the
traveling salesman, Wheeler learned;.
some of his first stories. The veteran I
court reporter smiles as he recalls i
the "drummers with their checker-.
ed suits and diamond stickpins and a .
flow of words which moved eternally. ; the 'Qtoe county jail. Tney got Shel
it seemed. I i-k u,,- r m o ron
Saw a Pow-WOW.
An episode which remains vivid
in hi3 memory is a trip to Columbus
to the home cf his cousin, the late
Major Frank North, in. 1S76. Major
North Was chief of the Pawnee na
tion and in his front yard was a
great cleared space where members j Lancaster county courthouse w as laid
of the Pawnee tribe gathered period- ; in is8S. It wte :a.real show-place
ically for pow-wows. A great pow- and ril bet ycu money you can't find
wow was held on the occasion of Mr. a crack in it today," he declares.
Wheeler's visit at that time. ("One cf the early cases there and
Major North and his brother, Cap- j onc of the mob sensational was the
tain Lute North, who died but a few Jolin sheedy murder trial."
days ago, recounted many a yarn for At tno tinie of tnat trial the south
Wheeler. One of the best of Captain haf of the secomi floor of the court
North's stories. Wheeler relates, wasllo,J3e v,-as an ore courtroom. Women
the one about the Indian magicians. jUriPj to come at C in the morning and
They could take a hawk's feather n,riag their iunches to be sure of a
from their bonnet, toss it into the air, I srooji EC.ar during the proceedings.
and immediately a hawk would alight
upon their finger-tips. Then they
would shake the hawk into the air
and forthwith a feather would float
down into their outstretched palms.
Sigma Chi Organizer.
Mr. Whepler was a Ktiifleni. at the
University of Ncbraka in its early
days and with his brothers, Frank
L. and Don H. Wheeler and five other
young men was one of the organ
izers of Sigma Chi, first permanent
fraternity to be established on the
campus.
They met at the cottage of Ellen
Smith at 1204 IT street and funned
their chapter. Mr. Wheeler recalls
that the event caused a general up
roar as toon as it became known and
that they were all nearly expelled
because of it. lie is today the only
living charter member cf the Ne
braska chapter.
First K. U. Sand.
He was also a member of the first i
university bard. It contained but
eight pirces. Myron played the solo
alto, Frank L. played the tuba, Dan j
Ii. played the U flat cornet and the
late Will Ov.en Jones played the A
jfiat cornet. The late Clement C. !
Chase, son of Champion S. Chase, one
time mayor of Omaha and the man
for whom Chasa county was named,
was one of the Sigma Chi charter
members and Mayor Chase and Ma-
!or D- u- Wheeler were instrumental
in preventing tne expulsion of the
young men from the university.
When Wheeler left the university
In 1S73 he went to Iowa City where
he studied shorthand at a school run
by Eldcn Moran. A facile student, The trial lasted from May 2 to
he was almost immediately made an May 29 and the jury w as only a few
instructor and during the summer he hours in reaching its verdict. Wheel
did hia first court reporting in some j er recalls that Sheedy's skull wa3
trials arising out of Fred Wilson's ' brought into the courtroom and in
contcsted nomination for congress in ' troduced as evidence.
Iowa. "Mrs. Sheedy didn't bat an eye
Han Was. Lynched. when that grewsome 5hins v,as
In August, Wheeler went to Om-JP-aced before her," he said,
aha where he became secretary to Yellow liies.
J. A. Monroe who was at that timel "This writer went Into the Dis
assistant freight auditor of the Union 'trict court vault and found the ap
Pacific. But in September of 1SS3 ! pearance docket which contained a
Judge A. M. Post asked him to come
to Columbu3 as reporter for the Dis
trict court there ' and Wheeler took
the position. His brief stay there
was comparatively uneventful, except
"for teeing a man lynched in front
of the courthouse at Schuyler, Neb."
In those days Columbus had a popu
lation of about 2,500 and there was
a bitter rivalry on between business
men on the north and south sides of
te Union Pacific tracks.
Whecler left Columbus to go to
Omaha and become associated with
the first Remington-Rand typewriter
agency in the state. The Union Paci
fic railroad owned the first typewriter
and Wheeler owned the second one.
When Judge Eleazer Wakeley re
quested his services as a court report
er, however. Wheeler sold out his
interest in the typewriter agency
and returned to the courts.
In 1SS6 Mr. Wheeler was married
at Lincoln to Cora Humphrey, pre
viously of Nebraska City. They were
married at 1420 M street at the very
spot where Miss Humphrey first
alighted when she came from Ne
braska City to Lincoln via stage
coach. Miss Humphrey was the
daughter of Captain Austin Hum
phrey, commissioned by the govern
ment as head of immigrant trains
between Nebraska City, Fort Kear
ney and Denver. Mr. Wheeler still
has. his father-in-law's original com
mission.
Reported Bohanan Trial.
In 18SG Wheeler became associated
with Judge Samuel S. Chapman
whoso district included Lancaster,
Cass and Otoe counties. The county
offices and the District court in Lin
coln was located on the top floor of
the Tiernan block at Eleventh and
M streets. One of the sensational
cases which Wheeler reported there
was the Quinn Bohanan murder trial.
Lincoln was a city of 9,000 persons
then. Bohanan killed a Waverly
merchant because he couldn't spell
the word "peddler" correctly. He
was sentenced for lite on tne nrst
trial, obtained a new trial, and when
found guilty again Avas sentenced to
be hung.
Bohanan was removed to
Hang 'la 10 a Iree.
Whee'.er recalls -that Bohanan
. " . . t ' writp, nnhnnan
. , . .. r,tnrn irt,oni
a chance tQ exh,blt hia mechanicai
....... mnn ,.
D . . ri . nr H nT1n
! Hoffman they couldn't reach and he
;vas later huntr legally. Bohanan es-
capcd and was-; never retaken.
The whimsical story teller paused
to light a cigaret and continue his
reminiscences.
'The foundation for the present
In the Sheedy case, a negro, Mon
day McFarland and Mrs. Mary
Sheedy, were jointly charged with
the murder of John Sheedy, her hus
band. John Sheedy, who operated a
gambling place near Tenth and 1
streets, was murdered in January of
1891 at his homo by an assailant
who beat a gash in his skull three
inches wide ami an inch deep with
an iron cane bound with a leather
thong. McFarland was charged with
committing the murder and Mary
Sheedy was named as an accessory
before the fact.'
Wheeler recalls how he sat in a
dark closet at the old police station
and took shorthand notes feeling
his way of McFarland's confession.
McFarland's voice came in over the
transom and Wheeler was hidden be
cause it was feared the negro would
not confess if he knew his admissions
were being taken down in writing.
3C0 Hen Drawn.
Proceedings were begun in Dis-
trict court late in April of 1SD1 and
it took what seemed an interminable
length of time to draw a jury. Two
panels of 150 men each were exhaust
ed before twelve men were found
who were eligible to sit on the case.
Wheeler recalls Mrs. Sheedy: "She
was a beautiful woman and had been
wed, as I recall, twice, before she
became the wife of Mr. Sheedy. Her
expression as she sat In the court
room was that of a Madonna and I
am convinced it was her beauty
which resulted in a verdict of ac
cuittal for both her and the negro."
list of the filings and proceedings in
the case. It3 yellow pages crackled
as they were turned. There it was.
State of Nebraska vs. Monday Mc
Farland and Mary Sheedy. There
were sixty-three witnesses for the
state and forty for the defendants.
And in the attic of the courthouse
were the files, musty and rent and
covered with dust. Pages and pages
of laborious longhand the only
method of transcription known then
except, (a3 previously noted), My
ron's typewriter record the filings
in that case.
N. Z. Snell represented the state
In that case" and J. B. Strode was the
chief attorney for the defense. Virtu
ally every legal technicality known
to man was resorted to demurrers,
pleas in abatement, motions to quash,
affidavits showing incompetency of
jurors, et ad infinitum.
The court reporter smiles as the
memory of some of his trips to Val
entine, Neb., in the nineties comes
back to him.
"That was one of the damndest
towns you ever saw. It was the
northwest end of the Northwestern
railroad at the time and one of the
most colorful places in all the Btate.
The stove-pipe chimneys In every
store in town were full of bullet
holes practice shots. All night long
roisterers would be shooting in the
street. Men were scarcely ever con
victed cf murder but horse and cattle
thieves were usually lynched.
Elected SherilX.
"I remember one case of a man
who was caught stealing horses. They
were going to hang him from the
railroad bridge. He asked if they
wouldn't just as soon shoot him, 'if
you please.' They consented but he
somehow escaped and later returned
and killed two of the men who made
up the would-be firing squad. For
that accomplishment they elected
him sheriff.
"When I arrived there the first
time I wa3 filling in for some court
reporter who was about to become a
father, as I remember it I walked
into the first saloon I. saw as soon as
I had registered at the hotel. It was
with rather startling reactions that
I noticed a dead man lying under a
billiard table. Around the table a
couplo of men wielded their cues as
if they were not greatly concerned.
I called the attention of the bartend
er to the situation "Oil him, he got
shot a couple of hours ago, what'll
you have to drink?" And that, 1
guess, was that."
Goes to Cizfca.
In 1S9S Wheeler went to Cuba as
chief of the war department's cor
respondence division. 'Ed R. Sizer,
clerk of the district court here, also
went. He was chief clerk of the is
land. These were stirring and excit
ing days for both of them. General
Tasker II. Bliss was head of the
armies of the United States and
Wheeler made out his reports and did
his correspondence. . Bliss, a busy
man, had Wheeler write letters to
hia. wife- and, to., bjs-.daughters, who
were at' 1 Bryn " Slawr: ' "They were
rather intimate and endearing let
ters and it rather embarrassed mc
to compose them," Wheeler says,
"but the general usually just scrib
bled his signature on the end with
out even reading them over. I felt
a frightful hypocrite."
He returned from Cuba in 1900
and again took up his post a3 reporter
for the District court "cf Lancaster
county. He wa3 with Judge A. J.
Cornish until 1917 and has been with
Judge Shepherd since that time. The
words Myron Wheeler has written
would reach around the world.
.
WkXSfi' SjStt Ski S
v f 'Mu r-iw,
PRESENT PROGRAM
The third grade from Central
building under the direction of Misa
Selma Diehm entertained their moth
ers at a miscellaneous program last
Wednesday afternoon was as fol
lows: Songs, "Spring" and "April Show
ers," by girls of third grade.
Chalk drawings (taken from Na
ture Story Book) by Donna Faye Ma
son, Donald Nolin, Billy Crumley,
Shirley Burcham, Edwin Eledge,
James Short, Hazel Miner, Josephine
Sedlak. Edward Bashus, Melvin
Swanda, Merle Shryock, Martha Mei
singer, Bonnie Walters, Jane Hitt,
Joann Traudt, Jean Goodchild, Mar
jory Dean Philips. Each child gave a
short descriptive story of their pic
ture.
Song, "Dolly Don't Weep," by Shir
ley Burcham and Donna Faye Mason
. Recitation, "Somebody's Knock
ing." by Bernard Flynn.
Drill, "Our Bird Books," by Bern
ard Dow, Russell Wannacott, Roy
Poston, Bernard Flynn, Paul Meyers,
Melvin Swanda.
Play, "The Birds' Convention,"
Mr. Robin, Roy Poston; Mrs. Robin,
Dorothy Lynch; Mr. Catbird, Russell
Wonnacott; Cedar bird, Jack Petit;
Woodpecker, Harry Gochenour; King
bird, Cecil Howard; Goosbeak, How
ard Mrasek; Barnswallow, Claude
Kennedy; Oven bird, Mary Lou Hitt,
Jenny Wren, Millie Kozacek; Oriole,
Donald Nolin; Crow, Raymond Rho
den. Transcripts he has prepared, stacked
one upon the other, would go a good
many feet into the air.
As he thinks back ou the men w ho
were with him as the present court
house opened he shakes his head a bit
badly.
"They're all gone. All the officers
and all the men who were then prac
ticing at the bar, except II. H. Wil
son, they've all gone. And now my
work, my life, my doctors tell me
that must go too."
Court Progress.
But what of the courts? Mr.
Wheeler doesn't know if they've pro
gressed so far or not.
"It seems as though law suit3 now
adays are nothing but gabfests. Law
yers aren't as dignified as they used
to be. They aren't as careful about
their exhibits and their objections
and the condition of the record. It's
'hurry-Up, hurry-up, hurry-up,' eter
nally. So many of them aren't after
justice. All they "want is to win
thtir case by fair means or foul. It
doesn't seem to me that there used to
be so much of that," he declares.
There is a distinct improvement
in one regard though, according to
Wheeler. There is little if any "fix
ing" of jurors any more. And in the
early days, he reports, there used to
be a lot of it. A lawyer who couldn't
bribe a jury In certain instances was
hardly thought worth his salt in the
old days, he reiharks. "?'. - ' .
But of his own work of the count-
jlcss millions cf words he has taken
down, difficult medical and technical
j terms in many cases, he has little to
say. He wave3 that aside "It's all
in a day." And Myron Wheeler, the
raconteur supreme, the master of
the retort elegant and the story apro
pos, turns to the dictaphone In his
home. He wants to get all his work
completed by May 10, the date of his
retirement from a long and faithful
career in the courts.
Phone trie news to no. 3.
He Ain't Got at Yet!
V !
i ' ' ' - '
Hex! lUeek
or
next Veer
This Dependable Local
Agency will be here to
serve Your Insurance
needs
INSURE
FOR SAFETY
with
INSURANCE-
AND
BONDS
Phone- 16
Plattsmouth
WILL ATTE1TD CONVENTION
Mrs. J. A. Jimerson, of Auburn,
district president of the Nebraska
federation of Woman's clubs r.s well
as Mrs. Ray Norris, Weeping Water,
county president, have signified their
intention of being preseut here at
the local club banquet on next Mon
day evening.
The banquet committee is arrang-
j ing one of the most attractive pro
grams for the members and a very
large number are expected to be
present to enjoy the event which is
to bo held at the parlors of the First
Methodist church.
UNDERGOES OPERATION
Edward Stewart, eleven year old
son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Stewart,
was taken to. Omaha early Wednes
day morning suffering from a very
acute case of appendicitis, being sud
denly stricken with this trouble. The
young lad was taken to the Methodist
hospital where an operation was per
formed as soon a.? possible after his
arrival. The patient stood the oper
ation in excellent shape and at the
present time is reported as doing as
well as possible under the circum
stances. "Sea it before you Uuy IU"
toqo:-. .:.'. ' : Yr--
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